Morning Talk
by fluffybluff
Summary: What are you going to do if you're attracted to your roommate's girl? Now, what are you going to do if she's not the only girl your roommate is seeing? Canon pairings, AU.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: RK isn't mine

AN: Helloo~~ so since I decided to put my two tbc stories on hiatus, P decided to publish this story! Yes I'm very irresponsible like that :P I hope you Enjoy it, and don't forget to review!

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Morning Talk

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Kenshin was a creature of habit and he had a strong sense of discipline. Every morning he would wake up at 6.00 on weekdays and at 8.00 on weekends. Then, he would wash his face and went to the kitchen to make some coffee and breakfast. Afterwards, he would take a real quick shower with hot water in the winter or cold water in the summer. He then got dressed, tied his hair in a ponytail and washed the dishes. Afterwards, he left for his kendo practice, and then classes, and then, if he had the time, he would look for a leisurely activity after class, like going to a bar with some friends, going to a movie, trying out new restaurants, anything, before going back home at night. If he had too many assignments, he would go to the library or go back home right away, depends on his mood. Everyday was very peaceful for him.

That morning was a little different. As usual, he woke up and walked lazily towards the sink outside the bathroom. He heard water pouring down from inside the bathroom and wondered why Sano, his lazy roommate, had awaken so early in the morning. He then washed his face, gargled, and went to the kitchen. He started brewing the coffee when he heard light footsteps behind him.

Kenshin turned around. "Sano, do you want some break-"

Well, that wasn't Sano. It was a girl, wearing nothing but a piece of thin, small, shabby white towel. Her long, black hair was wet and stuck messily to her ivory back and clavicles. Her dark blue eyes widened in shock with a glimpse of guilt, and her face slowly turning red.

She froze on the spot and bit her lips as she felt the heat went up to her nape, ears and then face. She didn't expect the lean and well build redhead who was wearing nothing but a nicely fitted training pants to turn his head and found her, who was _creeping_ against the wall, trying hard to make it into the room without making any sound.

Kenshin frowned. There goes the sight he thought he would never see again. It's been four months since Sano brought a random girl back home. The reason was that Sano was hopelessly in love with Megumi, or so Kenshin thought. But then again, Megumi has made him do unreasonable stuff without a real assurance that they were both going to be together anytime soon. Maybe Sano was fed up with it. That guy was easily distracted anyway.

So what now, had he given up and decided to go back to his old lifestyle? But, look at her slender, slightly muscular legs, her creamy skin that looked soft enough to mound, her eyes glimmered innocently, giving away her inner thoughts and feelings, her black hair was probably very comfortable against the skin, her rosy lips begging to be kissed, her skinny but full curve that looked so tempting, enough even for him, the to think about doing _things_ to her… Everything of her seemed so delicious, even if now she smelled like Sano's shampoo and body wash. Of course no guy would pass up the chance of being together with that girl. Not even himself.

Kenshin sighed and smiled a friendly smile to the frozen beauty in front of him.

"Good morning, there. Coffee?" He offered politely. She opened her mouth and closed it again, no sound came out.

In the middle of confusion, awkwardness and raw embarrassment, her hand forgot to support her towel (of course it had to be like that, LOL). It successfully fell on the floor, revealing her body, as naked as a baby. Kenshin gulped and turned his head, and she let out a hysterical Banshee shriek before sprinting towards Sano's room.

The towel was left crumpled up on the floor, and Kenshin wasn't sure what to do with that. He blamed Sano for all these.

Damn Sano.

**OoOoO**

"Morning."

Kenshin turned around to see a beet red face greeting him awkwardly. He frowned. Was this still yesterday morning?

Then he remembered that last night he heard Sano bringing another girl at home. This girl should be pretty special; Sano never brought anyone home, let alone brought them home _twice,_ two nights in a row. Kenshin sighed and smiled.

"Morning. Coffee?" He offered, just like yesterday. She nodded shyly and mumbled a thank you. Kenshin continued making his scrambled egg, before beating another two eggs for her. "Is Sano still asleep?" He asked again.

"Mmm… Yeah… We came pretty late last night." She said, and Kenshin smiled. He was half asleep last night when he heard them arguing about something very loudly in the living room. "I… Want to say sorry… yesterday… umm…" She blushed ten different shades of red.

"Oh, I should be the one saying sorry." He turned his head and flashed his infamous (and poisonous, some said) charming smile. He then continued to put the scrambled egg on the plate, and then started frying some sausages. "Sano must have really like you." He said, this time with a smaller voice.

"Me? No… No… I'm just a friend…" She corrected him, but she was blushing. Kenshin smiled. It was like Sano to do first and ask questions later, so she probably only become his girlfriend by the end of next week.

Well too bad.

Kenshin coughed, trying to get rid all the thoughts about the pretty girl in front of him. She would be Sano's soon, as Sano's best friend, he shouldn't have weird thoughts.

"Your sausages." He said, tossing the sausages skillfully on her plate. She looked at him, amazed, and then clapped. He blushed. "That was uncalled for." He said with a chuckle.

She blushed. "Eh… Sorry, that looked very professional! You are training to be a chef after all, aren't you?" She asked. Kenshin looked at her, a little surprised, never knew that she knew about him. She seemed to realized that, and then blushed again. "I mean… The girls are always talking about you, Himura-kun… And Sano as well… I didn't stalk you or anything!" She stuttered as her face continued to redden.

Kenshin laughed. "No, I didn't think of it like that." He laughed some more, and when his laughter faded, he tossed the sausages on his plate, and then sat down in front of her. "So what are you studying, Miss…"

"Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru. I'm in the literature department…" She said, before suddenly gasped, as if she just remembered something, and then blushed again. "I know your name from the girls as well, I swear! Girls talk about you everytime because you're handsome and…" She gulped. "I should just stop talking. Itadakimasu." She mumbled with a red face, and then took a bite of her sausage. "It's good, as expected from a chef-to-be." She complimented.

Kenshin chuckled. "Thanks, but the sausages are frozen though. I just fried it." He said, and Kaoru blushed again. She looked quite nervous, for some reason. Well, talking to the housemate of the guy you're sleeping with could be a little awkward, probably…

"Well, the egg is nice." She tried again bravely. Kenshin chuckled.

"Thank you." He said, this time he shouldn't embarrass someone who tried to give him a compliment. Scrambled egg is like something that would appear on the first page of 'Cooking for Dummies'. Everyone, even babies, could make it.

"I can't make scrambled eggs." She said. Kenshin chuckled. This is just pushing it.

"Everyone can make scrambled eggs. Next time you can make some for me." He winked playfully, and then her face changed. It was as if she had reached nirvana or something.

"Next time? There will be a 'next time'? You really think so? We'll be eating breakfast again together?" She asked. Kenshin frowned. Well of course they would. If she was going out with Sano, he would be the only breakfast buddy she had because Sano doesn't get up before noon.

"Of course there will be a 'next time'." He said. She then smiled. A smile that made him lost his ability to talk, or even to think. Why did she have to be Sano's girl?

Damn Sano.

**OoOoO**

It was Sunday morning when Kenshin walked out of the bathroom to see Kaoru, standing in the kitchen, cooking something that smelled more like burnt charcoal than food. He put on his t shirt as he sat on one of the stools. It's been two weeks since he saw her in his apartment.

"Morning." He said, and she turned around. Her eyes were all glazy.

"Is… Is the egg supposed to stick on the pan?" She asked, her voice was shaking.

"Huh?" So she was being truthful when she said she couldn't cook scrambled egg.

"It's not, isn't it?" She said. "Shit shit shit shit." She cursed, which, for some reason, sounded rather cute to Kenshin's ears. Kenshin walked towards her and saw her frying something black inside the pan.

"It's burnt." He pointed out.

"I know that." She answered flatly as she dumped the charcoal/egg into the rubbish bin, and then sulked. "I told you I can't cook scrambled egg."

Kenshin chuckled. He took some more eggs from the fridge. "I can teach you. Then you can feed Sano some eggs." He said.

She snorted. "Someone else can do that." She said. "I'll feed you instead. After I mastered the art of egg scrambling, of course." She added. For some reason, now she seemed more relaxed around him.

She was skillful in stirring the egg though. She was quite strong for a woman, Kenshin was quite amazed. After she gotten over the fact that she ran around naked in front of him, she became more spontaneous and fun. It's been awhile since Kenshin had fun with a woman like this.

"Let's prepare another one for Sano." He said, taking another egg from the fridge. Kaoru looked at her watch and then shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. He's supposed to meet someone for brunch or something." She said, putting a little bit of milk in the egg.

Suddenly, Sano's door slammed open. Sano was already wearing his jeans and t-shirt, only that he wore his t-shirt inside out.

"DAMN IT WOMAN I TOLD YOU TO WAKE ME UP!" He screamed. Kaoru snorted.

"I did you lazy rooster! You shoved me away and then continued to snore! WHAT KIND OF ROOSTER ARE YOU? And you're wearing your t shirt inside out!" She screamed back.

"I'm FRIGGIN' LATE!" He screamed as he ran to the door. "First date, and I'm late! Geez… Why did she even want to have brunch anyway?" He grumbled as he put on his shoes and left. Kaoru sighed, as Kenshin stared weirdly at the door, and then at her.

"Date… He said…" Kenshin said. He then looked at Kaoru. "Aren't you supposed to be in it?" He asked.

"Why would I?" Kaoru asked, and Kenshin shrugged. Kaoru sighed. "Well, Megumi is one of my best friends, but that doesn't mean that I have to go!" She said.

Kenshin frowned. So Sano was still chasing Megumi. And they were having a date now. What was Kaoru doing in his house, borrowing his shower, wearing t shirt that was too big for her, and cooking in his kitchen, then? Why would Kaoru spent her nights in Sano's room, then?

Kenshin's face reddened.

DAMN SANO.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: RK isn't mine

AN: Ummm yes I know this is choppy, yes I know I have to re edit it. I will do it a little later. I wrote this on the plane, so it might be a little weird, I even uploaded the chapter wrong! Oh well, sorry about that :P I feel like publishing this no matter what. I have no idea why :P. Anyways, enjoy :)

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Morning Talk

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As usual, Kenshin was already standing in the kitchen, making his breakfast. Today was a waffle day. He heard a click on Sano's door, and Kaoru came out, wearing an oversized pyjamas that Kenshin recognised as something that Sano got last year's Christmas gift exchange. She looked half asleep and adorable Kenshin had to hold back his hands so that they didn't start hugging her and probably rock her from side to side like a cute little baby.

"Morning…" She mumbled. Kenshin smiled.

"Morning. Usually you're earlier than this." Kenshin commented. Kaoru blushed.

"We played games until late." She said. Of course you both did, Kenshin thought. Sano never let his woman go unless he was satisfied. It sounded bad, yes, but apparently to a lot of girls, that strong ego of his was one of his appeals. Kaoru had been staying over at least two to three times a week since three weeks ago, and Kenshin had been cooking breakfast for her. They talked about anything, but Kenshin tried to avoid relationship topic, because Sano seemed to be seeing Megumi and Kaoru at the same time.

Kaoru must have fallen so hard for Sano, after all, a strong, fun, sensible and beautiful woman like that wouldn't want to be two-timed. Kaoru was fully aware that Sano was seeing Megumi as well, but she was still staying over. Not that Kenshin minded, as long as he tried hard not to think about what she and Sano did in Sano's room the night before, he found that her company in the morning was enough to make him grin the whole day.

"Waffles. Yum! I want maple syrup." Kaoru said as Kenshin closed the waffle toaster.

"I'm not sure if we still have some maple syrup. You can check the fridge." Kenshin said.

"Of course we do, I bought a few bottles for our breakfast routine." Kaoru grinned as she took out a fresh bottle of maple syrup from the fridge. She took a bowl and then started squirting the maple syrup into it.

"What are you planning to do with the syrup in the bowl?" Kenshin asked.

"I'm going to cut up the waffles and then dip it into the bowl fondue style. It's the best way to eat anything."

"Yuck." Kenshin cringed his nose, and Kaoru snorted.

"You haven't even tried it yet, don't say yuck." She said.

"Soggy, overly sweetened waffle is yuck." Kenshin replied stubbornly.

"You're missing out if you don't want to try."

"I don't think so. Yuck."

"Kenshin!" Kaoru hit him playfully with the maple syrup bottle, causing it to squirt everywhere. Kaoru squealed as some of the sticky syrup landed on her. "Damn you Himura!" She screamed, and Kenshin laughed. She grunted and then wiped her hands on his t shirt, causing him to flinch.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin jumped as Kaoru made his t shirt sticky. Kaoru laughed as she kept on lathering the maple syrup on him pushing him towards the stove. "Careful, CAREFUL!" Kenshin shouted alarmingly as he fell towards the stove. Thankfully his hands stopped his body before he fell on the stove (which was an induction stove, but the waffle maker seemed pretty hot…). Kaoru gasped and grabbed his t-shirt in an attempt to pull him away from the stove.

Obviously, just like in the movies, that kind of contact always meant something. Kenshin saw her blushing, and he cursed inwardly. If she didn't like him that way, she shouldn't blush like that in front of him. Her face was beyond red now. Maroon, probably.

Kenshin leaned forward, it wasn't clear if he was trying to stay away from the stove, which he obviously must do, or if he was leaning _towards _Kaoru. Either way, she didn't seem to mind. She instinctively moved her body closer to Kenshin and was about to close her eyes (for some reason) when a cough stopped her.

"Oi, the waffle is burnt." Sano said from in front of his room door. He was leaning against the door, looking both amused and annoyed at the same time. Kaoru let go of Kenshin and Kenshin turned around to rescue their waffles. "Make me one as well." Sano said again, pointing at the waffles as he sat on the stool. Kaoru sighed and sat beside him while bringing her maple syrup bowl.

"Ooh, fondue style! It's the best way to eat anything!" Sano's face lit up.

"See, Kenshin?" Kaoru said, as cheerful as she could be.

"Yuck." Kenshin mumbled as he closed the waffle maker.

**OoOoO**

"… end this… stop staying over…"

"…but, Sano…"

"… a guy can touch a girl without any feelings of love…"

"…I know that, but…"

"… It's for your own good, stop coming over…"

"…but you're the only one who…"

"…stop coming over. Stop expecting anything from a guy whose heart belong to someone else…"

"…Sano…"

Kenshin leaned on the wall with a loud sigh. Their conversation was too loud for him not to listen to. From the beginning it's so obvious that Sano would pick Megumi over her. He had been chasing Megumi for awhile, and it wasn't his thing to chase any girl. She was the first woman Sano jumped over backward for.

He sighed again and walked towards the kitchen. He checked the leftover rice from last night in the rice cooker and then took out some frozen nuggets. That morning he wasn't really in the mood to cook anything even though it was Monday morning, so he lazily fried some nuggets. A minute later, Kaoru came out, already dressed like she was ready to go out.

"Morning." She greeted with a smile.

"Morning." Kenshin greeted back.

"Frozen food?" Kaoru asked.

"Hmm…" Kenshin nodded as he took a bowl and tossed the golden fried nuggets into it. "Nuggets and rice. I hope you don't mind." He said.

"Not at all." Kaoru said. She sat on the stool. After a long silence, she suddenly called him. "Ne, Kenshin?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever fallen in love with someone who loves someone else?" She asked.

Kenshin looked at her. He had expected such question after he accidentally eavesdropped Sano and Kaoru's conversation earlier this morning. He sighed as he gave a bowl of rice and chicken nugget to Kaoru.

"Well, I have." He answered briefly. Kaoru stopped eating and looked up, as if she didn't expect such answer.

"But… You're… you…" She said with an incredulous tone. "I mean, who would reject Himura Kenshin?"

Kenshin chuckled. All women he truly liked since now had been someone else's. This reminded him of his old love, Yukishirou Tomoe. Reminded him of the day that she told him she fell in love with her old boyfriend again.

Then again, she was three years older than him. While three years wasn't too big of a gap, the gap was wider when the guy was still in school and the woman was already working. Three years felt like a relationship between a little kid and a matured woman.

"Well… Life isn't that easy after all." Kenshin shrugged.

"Well, that's true." Kaoru agreed. "What did you do then?"

"Well, I went for it anyway." Kenshin said. "Though, it didn't end too well." He continued.

"Do you regret it though?" She asked.

Kenshin looked at her. If he said he regretted it, would Kaoru really end it with Sano? Would he have chance to be with her?

"No, not even a little." He said, choosing to be honest.

"I see… That sounds like so much work." Kaoru said with a thoughtful expression. She swallowed his last rice and chicken nugget.

"Well, that's the way it is for me." Kenshin said. "She broke up with her boyfriend, and by then I decided to start pursuing her. After dating me for a year, however, she ended up going back to her old boyfriend. I guess I wasn't good enough?" Kenshin said with a light chuckle.

"It's her loss." Kaoru said. She then sighed as she played with her chopsticks. "I want it."

"Want what?" Kenshin asked.

"Like you. I want to see if I had a chance." She said.

Kenshin looked away. He couldn't say anything. She was being evil; that much he knew. Sano was going out with her best friend, yet she still wanted to see if she had a chance with Sano. Sano was in the wrong as well, of course, but at least now he told her clearly that he wanted to end their relationship.

He couldn't bring to hate her, though. He knew how love could affect people, making them do things that they didn't want to do. After all, Kaoru knew that she would obviously be happier if she could get over Sano that easily and moved on, but she just couldn't help it.

"It's a bad idea." Kenshin said, sounded a bit grumpy, as he took the dirty dish from in front of Kaoru.

"You think so?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered briefly, a little too curt as he thought it would be.

"What should I do, then?" She asked. Kenshin looked at her, and then sighed. He shouldn't be too harsh with her.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru. I don't know." He said quietly, before turning his back from her and started washing the dishes.

**OoOoO**

That Sunday went by pretty slow for Kenshin. He didn't feel like doing anything. He stayed at home, watching the movies he bought but never watch, and for the first time in three years he finally ate some junk food. See, love did crazy things to people, and he just couldn't help it…

Kenshin grunted as he turned off the TV. LOVE? Did he just think that he LOVED Kaoru? That was absurd. Sure, he liked her beautiful face, curvaceous body, the way she smiled, the way she talked. He also felt that being with her always made his day a little brighter, and he always felt some kind of anger everytime he heard Sano and her coming home together in the middle of the night. That wasn't love, was it?

His cellphone suddenly rang. It was Sano.

"Yo, Kenshin, I'm not going home tonight." He said with an overly excited voice as soon as Kenshin picked up.

"Okay…"

"Guess what, I'm staying over at Kitsune's place! ME! AFTER MONTHS AND MONTHS OF HARDWORK AND HUMILIATION!" He said, practically screaming. Kenshin smiled.

"Well good for you. Congratulations. Cherish her, okay?" He said.

Sano chuckled softly. "Of course I will. You don't have to tell me that." He said, this time in a softer voice. Kenshin smiled, and then heard the doorbell rang.

"I have to go Sano, someone rang the bell." Kenshin said, saying goodbye to his roommate.

He looked at the clock in the living room as he walked towards the door. It was 11.30 at night, too late for any door-to-door salesman to come. He opened the door and sighed. Of course, he should have expected something like this.

"Kenshin?"

Kaoru was standing in front of his place, looking very anxious and nervous. As soon as their gaze met, she looked down. He probably looked a little unfriendly right now, since Kaoru looked at him with scared eyes.

"Kaoru, Sano's not coming home tonight." He told her. Kaoru's face became red, and her expression was incomprehensible. She seemed to want to say something, but then refrained from saying it instead. After a few seconds, she swallowed.

"Umm… I just wanted to return this." She uttered, giving something inside the plastic bag. It was Sano's pyjamas. She smiled. "Well, I'll just go home then. Sorry to bother you so late at night. Good night." She said while turning around.

When she was about three steps away from the door, she felt a hand caught hers. She turned around to see Kenshin.

"Do you want to stay?" He asked. For some reason, he looked a little flushed.

Without waiting for her answer, Kenshin dragged the raven haired beauty inside the apartment before shutting the door behind them.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: RK isn't mine

AN: This is the end. Yes it took me THAT long… Sorry about that v_v" I'm not that satisfied with the story, especially with a slight OOCness (well I wouldn't say OOC but with Kenshin not being traumatised and constantly feeling guilty about himself, once can only assume what kind of personality he would have) but glad that this story becomes the simple story that I intended it to be. Thank you for reading, and I really appreciate the reviews, who knows that there are people who read my stories? lol. So here it goes! :D

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Morning Talk

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Kaoru wrapped herself around the blankets. The bed was too soft and the blankets were too warm that she had forgotten how to open her eyes. She stretched her body and then took a deep breath. The scent around her somehow different… a little masculine. It was some kind of fresh smell combined with a little bit of coffee scent which was comforting and tender. Then as she slowly becoming more awake, memories started rushing in. She opened her eyes and saw the beautiful redhead, sitting beside her while reading his newspaper and eating something that looked too amazing to be called a mere toast. He swallowed and looked at Kaoru with a smile.

"Morning. Breakfast?" He asked. Kaoru looked at him and blushed. Was he there for a long time, reading his newspaper and eating his breakfast, while she was sleeping beside him? Kaoru let out a squeak and hid herself under the blanket, quickly checked her face, just in case she was drooling or something. After a minute, she lowered the blanket and saw Kenshin looking at her with an amused face. "So, care for some toast?" He offered. Kaoru nodded shyly.

"Th… Thank you…" She said and took a super small bite of her mutated toast (mutated in a cool, X-men kind of way). Kenshin chuckled.

"I think we're past the phase where you have to eat politely in front of me. Kaoru blushed, but then snorted. She sat up on the bed and leaned against the wall before taking a big bite. Kenshin smiled. "That's more like you. I love to see you eat heartily. You look adorable like that." He said with a sweet voice. Kaoru sighed. How could this guy say these things without batting an eyelash?

"It's good, as usual." Kaoru complimented. Kenshin smiled. He was about to say something when someone banged at the door. The door handle went up and down violently for awhile before the banging started again. Kaoru sighed. "That must be Sano. Let me deal with the brat." Kaoru said, but Kenshin shook his head.

"I'll deal with him. You finish your breakfast." He said, his voice suddenly became a little grim. He tousled his own hair a little before getting up and opened the door. He unlocked the door, and right away Sano pushed the door violently, but Kenshin pushed back from the inside that he couldn't get in. Kaoru looked at the red haired in awe. His smaller frame could actually match Sano in strength.

"Open the door, Himura, I know she's here." Sano demanded with low voice.

"Sano, she _chose_ to stay." Kenshin replied calmly. Sano's fists were white from anger.

"Kenshin, did you… With her…?" He asked with gritted teeth.

Kenshin glared at Sano, and then turned his face. "Go away, Sano. What she did or didn't do isn't your business anymore." He said. Sano screamed and blasted the door open, and Kenshin fell on the floor. Kaoru screamed as Sano jumped on him and gave him a loud-sounding punch on his cheek. Kenshin wipe the blood from his cracked lips and then headbutted Sano. Now it was his turn to sit on him.

"STOP IT!" Kaoru shouted as she jumped off the bed.

"Move away, Jou-chan." Sano said, and Kenshin, as if agreeing with the guy underneath him, pushed Kaoru back on the bed, before giving Sano a punch on the exact same spot Sano punched him.

"Let her go, Sano! You already have someone you've been wanting to be together with for months!"

"YOU LET HER GO YOU BASTARD! How could you sleep with her while still being in love with someone else?"

"AS IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT!" Kenshin snapped. "YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH HER WHILE YOU HAVE MEGUMI!"

"AND YOU TAPPED HER JUST COZ SHE'S THE FIRST FEMALE YOU SAW AFTER YOUR BREAK UP! JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE DEPRESSED ABOUT THAT LITTLE STUCK UP BITCH DUMPING YOUR ASS DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN GRAB ANYONE WITHIN YOUR ARMLENGTH AND START FUCKING THEM!" Sano screamed as he pushed Kenshin and pinned him on the ground, with his arm pressing on Kenshin's throat. Kenshin managed to break free and punched Sano's nose.

Once again the two guys rolled around the floor trying to pin each other on the ground. They were screaming rubbish until suddenly something wet splashed on their heads. Wet, scalding hot, and black. They both jumped and then turned around, to see Kaoru with two empty cups on her hands and what seemed to be fury on her face.

"Jou-chan…"

"Kaoru…"

Sano closed his eyes firmly in anticipation. When Kaoru's face is as red as a crab like that, she would surely beat anyone until they're almost dead. But instead he heard a sob.

"Is that… Is… Is that…" She sobbed and then continued. "Is that… What you two think of me? That I'm someone who would sleep with guys just like that?"

"Huh?" The guys uttered in unison. Kaoru turned around and looked at Sano.

"YOU ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT I WOULD EASILY SLEEP WITH ANYONE! Geez Sano! I thought you know me better than that! I'm not that stupid, okay!" Kaoru screeched.

"WELL IS IT MY FAULT THAT I THINK THAT WAY? You're eating breakfast under his friggin' blanket, for f's sake!" Sano replied defensively and got a pretty nasty kick for that. She then turned his head towards Kenshin, who gulped. This time her tears fell on her cheek. Kenshin reached his hand and was about to wipe her tears when she slapped it instead.

"You, Mister… What do you take me for? Sleeping with my best friend's boyfriend… Shamelessly parading around his house after doing such a horrible deed… Is that the kind of girl you took me for? Is this why you invited me in last night? Well I guess you're pretty disappointed that I fell asleep and you didn't get your portion of fun last night." She said with a cold tone. She inhaled, trying to hold in the tears, and then chuckled. "And I guess that's my fault to make you think that way as well… I just wanted… I wanted to see you, you know… Like most girls, I admired you from afar, so I just wanted to see you… I stayed at Sano's place just to see you every morning…" She sobbed.

"Kaoru…"

Kaoru erased her tears and sighed. "Well, sorry to make you two misunderstood each other like this. I better leave." She said with a trembling voice, before grabbing her jacket and walked out of the apartment. Yes, walked, because the two guys were too stupefied to even try and stop her.

**OOOOO**

That day, for the whole day, Kaoru had gone missing. She didn't answer her friends' calls, and she didn't reply to any text messages or emails as well. Someone even knocked at her apartment door and she didn't open the door. They all could hear the sound of television from inside her rather thin apartment wall, so after awhile everyone finally decided to stop bothering her.

Even with the over-the-top soap operas and old movies which usually would screw with your head and made you forget everything, Kaoru still couldn't get the fact that she had been really stupid for the past few weeks out of her head. Obviously Kenshin would think that she slept with Sano. Even though she thought of Sano as her harmless little buddy, much like a Ken doll, obviously everyone wouldn't think so, remembering the fact that Sano had slept with half of the women population in the campus. She was too ignorant, too naïve, and Sano had warned her about this, but, obviously, she had to be stubborn about it. The anger had evaporated, and all that's left was humiliation.

The next morning, she was awake much, much earlier than usual. She spent a couple of hours longer taking a bath and tried to erase her puffy eyes, from crying the whole night and falling asleep and waking up every hour of the night. She sighed as she applied an extra amount of concealer under her eyes, trying to lessen the puffiness, but she looked like those girls in ukiyo-e (traditional Japanese painting) with her small eyes, puffy cheek and red, swollen lips. She yawned and threw her make up bag on the side of the sink, realizing that no amount of make up would help her with her swollen face. Right then, she heard a knock.

She sighed and decided to ignore the person outside of her door. Soon, the knock became elaborate in rhythm, changing randomly from hip hop rhythm to death metal drumming style. Pissed, she came out of the bathroom when she heard two men talking outside.

"We should just kick the door open." A guy with a deeper tone said, sounded a little irritated.

"We should wait… She might be in the bathroom or something." The other guy with a calmer, more mature voice replied.

"Nope, can't wait nemore. HERE I GO!" The other guy screamed and Kaoru became pale. She ran to the door and opened it.

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE? WHY DO YOU EVEN THINK OF KICKING MY DOOR?" Kaoru asked with an angry voice. In front of her, Kenshin was looking at her with an apologetic stare, and Sano grinned at her, both of them were carrying two big plastic bags filled with something that looked like food. Their faces were worse than her swollen face; there were bruises, cuts and swollen parts all over.

"Hi, Kaoru. We're here to make you some breakfast." Kenshin said. Kaoru looked away.

"Thanks but no thanks. I don't really eat breakfasts anyway." She said with a small voice. Sano snorted.

"See, I told you she would be like this." He said to Kenshin. Kenshin sighed.

"Plan B, then." He said before lifting Kaoru on his shoulder using one hand with all his might, and then entered her house while Sano followed him from behind.

"PUT ME DOOOWN!" Kaoru screamed. She was about to hit Kenshin when he suddenly dropped her on the couch.

"Breakfast will be served soon." He said calmly. He then joined Sano in the kitchen, and soon the whole house started to sound as if someone was doing a construction work, due to Sano's incompetence in cooking. After a noisy half an hour, Sano called her to the dining table. He seated her on one of the chair while Kenshin served the breakfast. Looking at the breakfast he served, Kaoru couldn't help but laugh.

There was an omelette with "sorry" written on top using tomato ketchup, two slices of sandwich with "sorry written on it using mustard, and then there's a cup of latte, also with "sorry" written on top with some milk foam and cocoa powder.

"I chopped the vegetables inside the sandwich and wrote the sorry on top of the omelette." Sano said proudly, and Kaoru couldn't help but blurted out a giggle. The two guys looked at each other and sighed in relief.

"You're finally smiling again." Kenshin said, and Sano nodded with a happy smile. Kaoru blushed, and then looked away.

"Aren't you guys eating?" She asked shyly.

"Nope, my baby is making breakfast for me, so I gotta run." Sano said with a grin. He then looked at Kaoru, as if he just remembered something important. "Anyways, before I leave, Jou-chan, I've never thought of you as easy or anything, but sometimes, love makes you do stupid things, and I just want to take care of you, so that you don't do stupid things that might harm yourself. You're like a sister to me." He said with a shrug.

"Thank you, Sano. I love you too." Kaoru said with an innocent smile, and Sano blushed.

"Shut up. I'm leaving." He murmured before leaving the apartment, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru alone.

Kenshin looked at her looking at him. It was probably his time to speak, after Sano gave such a corny but sincere speech.

"I…" Kenshin gulped as he felt Kaoru's stare got even more intense. "… want you to be my girlfriend." He said, and then cursed inwardly. That was supposed to be the end of his speech. Kaoru frowned.

"I don't get you." Kaoru said quietly while munching the soft omelette. "Are you trying to make amends or something? I mean, you don't have to. We didn't sleep together, you cooked me free breakfast all the time, it was my fault that you thought of me as one of Sano's happy meals and I got you all beaten up and, I believe, scalded by the coffee I poured on your head… I should probably pay you some breakfast fee and hospital fee instead."

Kenshin sighed. "Okay, that was supposed to be the epilogue of what I was going to say." He said. Kaoru looked at him, and he coughed nervously. "I like you, I really do. Yes, at one point I did think that you're mean towards your friend, but honestly, I can't care less about it. You're charming, funny and you make my days brighter, and I don't care if I had to snatch you away from Sano. For what I could see, if I did that, everyone goes home happy. Sano will be faithful to his girlfriend, and you'll be with me. Happy." He explained. He then frowned and sighed. "Wow. I just heard how pathetic I sounded." He murmured.

"Not really… It sounds… rather nice…" Kaoru replied quietly.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

Kaoru smiled as she scooped a spoonful of rice and offered it to Kenshin. "Then why don't you have breakfast with me first, and see how it goes?" She asked. A smile blossomed on Kenshin's lips, and he took a seat beside Kaoru.

"Yeah. Alright." He said, before allowing himself to be spoon-fed by Kaoru. Finally, a morning talk that goes somewhere.


End file.
